


After

by titansatemysoul



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Afterlife, Fluff and Angst, I just need my babies to be happy, M/M, Reunion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-11
Updated: 2016-01-11
Packaged: 2018-05-13 04:21:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5694541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/titansatemysoul/pseuds/titansatemysoul
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>The one’s we care about most are often the last to return.</i><br/>In which Levi finally gets to reunite with everyone he's lost.</p>
            </blockquote>





	After

**Author's Note:**

> (Edited post Ch 84 release because this was supposed to be comfortably canon divergent and now is potentially canon compliant and I CAN NOT)

“You have to go,” Levi shouts over the storm, crouched over Hanji, and angry red gash in their gut. Titan steam is still coming off Eren’s body as he kneels beside them with Armin.

“But sir-“

“THAT’s AN ORDER,” Levi shouts, Armin recoiling, terror in his big blue eyes. They remind Levi of _him_ , but there’s no time for that.

“They’re coming,” Mikasa landing in the mud beside them. “If we don’t go now, we’ll get wiped out.”

“Take my horse. Get Hanji back to headquarters,” Levi barks. “Do whatever it takes, you hear me?”

Eren and Armin are looking between each other, helpless and desperate. They’re running low on gas and blades. The supply wagons, crushed during the chaos of battle, are too far to be pillaged. Not with so little time, not in the dense fog of rain and titan steam.

“Get them back to the Wall,” Levi repeats himself, directly to Mikasa this time, knowing they have to get it right. They’re so close to winning the war, but not without Eren, Armin or Mikasa, not without Hanji. No one else can make the calls that need to be made. No one since the 13th Commander. They’re almost out of time.

He pulls off his cloak, tearing its fabric. The emblem of the Wings of Freedom splits underneath his fingertips as he rips the cloth into strips before enlisting Eren to help him tie the remainder of the cloth around Hanji’s stomach, a makeshift bandage. If it holds for the ride back, they might just have a chance.

Mikasa is approaching with the two horses.

“Take Hanji,” Levi says to her, and Mikasa does, lifting Hanji onto one of the horses before swinging on behind them.

“We have to go _now_ ,” she shouts over the rainfall, wet ground beginning to rumble underneath their feet.

“Go,” Levi insists, pushing the boys towards the horses. He follows them, holding his horse’s reigns as they swing on. He gives her an affectionate pat on the nose, his silent goodbye. She’s a good mare, he tells himself, she can get them home.

“If Hanji dies, Armin Arlert is next in line as Commander,” He tells them both. Armin’s eyes bulge, forcing Levi to stare into devastating blue. Stop wasting time, he tells himself.

“Sir, I can’t!” Armin cries, white knuckles gripping the reigns, Eren’s hand steadying his shoulder.

“That’s a direct order from the 13th AND 14th Commander of the Scout Regimen. The decisions been made. If you want out, make sure they live.”

Armin just nods, shell shocked. Eren holds out his hand, and Levi takes it.

“We’re going to win this, I swear. For the Commander.”

For his Commander. Levi nods and Eren sits back on his horse, saluting his captain one last time.

“Now GO,” Levi shouts, giving his horse a hard smack in the hind quarters and she takes off. Mikasa steadies Hanji in front of her one more time before steering her horse after them.

They’ll live, he tells himself, and it doesn’t feel like a lie. The ground is shaking and Levi turns towards the tremors, blades drawn. If he can draw attention for even twenty minutes, they’ll get away safely. Levi aims at a rooftop and fires, pulling himself up through the air.

Moments later, the first titan cuts through the fog, it ugly body lumbering towards him. He jumps again, spinning towards the titan’s nape. One down, he measures as he swings around, landing easily back on the roof.

As four more titans appear on the horizon, Levi realizes there was never a question of how this would go.

He accepted it the moment he’d pledged his allegiance to the Scout Regimen, the moment he pledged everything to his Commander.

“Fucking titan’s,” Levi mutters under his breath. He jumps again, taking out one, two, then three more. He lands back on the roof and kneels, panting, collecting himself one last time. He closes his eyes and see’s blue, staring back at him. He stands, more titans only a few dozen yards away.

Levi promised him that he would see it through. Promised that no matter what, he’d make sure humanity would win in the end. With his final acts, Levi has kept his promise. The thought propels him as he jumps from the roof, catching his wire on the burley shoulder of a 13 meter titan.

He doesn’t return.

-

It feels like he’s been run over by a wagon. Limbs stiff, vision hazy and distorted, Levi sits up in bed. He can’t place where he is, but he’s unperturbed as he acclimates to his surroundings.

Gingerly, he pulls back his sheets, still warm with his body heat, and climbs out of bed. Levi is vaguely aware the clothing he wears doesn’t belong to him, simple white pants and tunic, soft and cotton, not a stain in sight. He finds water on the desk by the bed, and gulps it down hungrily, savoring its cool, crisp taste. As he sets the jug down, he notices a door in the corner of the room.

Had it been there the whole time? Levi can’t be sure, but he’s drawn to it. A far off voice tells him the alarm bells should be ringing, that you don’t just open a strange door in a strange place. But something else tells him that voice doesn’t have a place here.

He finds it heavy, but unlocked, and he leans forward, pushing it open. It leads to a small shop, sunlight pouring through its open windows. There are flower boxes on their sills, bursting with color, casting elegant shadows on pristine tables and chairs. Another door, a small golden bell attached to the top stands to the right of the windows. To his left, there’s a small counter, set away from the wall, behind it there are dark wood shelves, filled with teacups, saucers and teapots. Past them, Levi sees a small fireplace, and a water basin with a tap.

He opens the lower cabinets under the china, revealing boxes of tea, all labeled in gold calligraphy. It looks more expensive than anything he’s ever tasted and he chooses one at random, examining the fine designs painted on the box. It’s labeled ‘Black Tea’. He briefly considers waiting for the owner, but for some reason he knows they aren’t coming, and so he sets about preparing a cup of tea.

Just as he tops of his tea cup, there’s a delicate ringing, making Levi glance up and nearly spill his first sip.

“Levi,” she breathes, and then he’s being engulfed in Kuchel’s motherly embrace. He feels like a small child, wrapped up in arms he forgot long ago.

It’s coming back now.

Kuchel’s death, Kenny Ackerman, the underground, being captured.

_Death_

Joining the Scout Regimen. The wall of Shinganshina, falling to the scourge of the titans.

_Death_

A boy, turning into a titan. A human girl, on the side of the titans.

So much death.

He remembers Hanji, 14th Commander of the Scout Regimen, leading them outside Wall Maria for the first time since the fall of Shinganshina. He remembers sending children back to the Walls, because they were the ones meant to save humanity.

He remembers jumping onto a thirteen-meter titan, fighting until he had nothing left to give.

It’s all too much, and Levi is shaking, his mother rocking him back and forth in her arms.

“You did it,” she whispers in his ear. “My brave boy.”

“Where are we?” Levi asks finally, voice small as he untangles himself from Kuchel.

“Home,” she says simply, and it feels like the right answer. The bell rings again, as the door creaks on its hinge.

Isabel launches herself into Levi’s arms, hooking her arms around his neck as he catches her, red hair hanging loose around her shoulders, and Farlan is there too, clutching Levi’s shoulder. Isabel is already chattering away, harmonizing with the birds who’ve appeared in the window boxes.

Another chime and this time it’s Mike and Nanaba, no longer in the military uniforms but the same white as Levi. Mike claps him on the shoulder, brown hair in his face, and Nanaba salutes him, before pulling him into a hug.

Then it’s Petra, cerulean sundress billowing around her, and she’s crying, pushing her way past Nanaba, kissing Levi’s forehead before crumpling into the crook of his neck. Eld, Olou and Gunter are have surrounded them, offering Petra words of comfort, grins plastered on their faces.

Levi has never felt so full, and he’s reluctant to let go of Petra as the group settles around him.

“This is a nice tea shop,” Farlan observes, leaning against the counter.

“Is that what this place is, brother?” Isabel asks Levi, eyes wide.

“I don’t really know,” Levi admits, trying to stop his heart from racing. If this is a dream, he hopes to never wake up.

“Well it looks like it,” Nanaba says, sitting down at one of the tables. Mike is behind them, a large hand on their small shoulder.

“Can I make tea them?” Isabel asks, hanging on his arm. “Please, brother?” Levi agrees, and everyone laughs, lighthearted as Isabel bounds behind the counter. Everyone is talking, voices full of life, happiness and laughter.

Something is still missing, but Levi doesn’t worry about it as he helps Petra pass out cups and saucers. He has his mother, his friends, his comrades, and though he isn’t sure whether it’s heaven or hell, where ever they are, it’s perfect.

He gets up to pour himself another cup of tea, letting his mother kiss his cheek as he passes by.

The bell rings, and Levi glances over, curious. With the most important people surrounding him, he’s not sure what to expect.

Cobalt pools, once calculated and piercing, now soft and inviting meet his gaze. Shattered china is left forgotten on the floor, Levi ignoring the hot tea sliding under his feet.

It was all for him. Everything was for _him._

The Scout Regimen, the Titan’s, the outside world, all for him. Levi gave his life to ensure humanity would reign free, all in the name of his Commander before him.

Erwin is there, both arms, crushing him under their weight. It’s nothing like when they were alive. In a world full of monsters and war, he resigned himself to letting Erwin be his beacon of truth, and reason. Suddenly, Levi doesn’t know how it was ever enough.

“Levi,” Erwin chokes, and Levi makes a noise, but can’t seem to remember how to speak.

“Your here,” Levi whispers. “I almost – but how could I?”

Erwin only pulls him closer, and Levi grasps at his shirt, much like his own, inhaling the faint smell of pine and musk, sure that in a moment he’ll be gone.

“Thank you, Levi,” Erwin soothes, baritone shaking Levi to his core, rubbing circles on his back. They’re sinking, and then Levi feels his knees hit the floor. Everyone must be staring, but no one says a word, and Levi wonders if time has stopped.

“Why didn’t you come sooner?” Levi asks finally, voice cracking.

“The one’s we care about most are often the last to return to us,” Kuchel explains, watching her son with adoration.

“I’ve waited a long time,” Erwin says, standing and pulling Levi with him. “I’ve been waiting for you, Levi.”

“Erwin’s told me so much about you,” Kuchel says as she comes over to embrace Erwin like an old friend. “I owe him a great debt.”

“Is this it?” Levi asks, looking around the room at all the familiar faces he never thought he’d see. They smile back at him, looking at one another, knowing.

“It is,” Erwin says simply.

 “So what now?” Levi asks, Erwin’s arm encircling his shoulders.

“You can do whatever you want,” Nanaba says happily. “We’re free.”

“Well Levi?” Erwin says, looking down at Levi, a smooth palm cupping his pale cheek. Levi looks around the room, eyes landing on the face of his Commander. _His_ Commander.

He doesn’t need anything more.

“I want this,” he confesses, Erwin’s gaze like warm water on his skin. “Just to be here. With all of you.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> titansatemysoul.tumblr.com


End file.
